Wire-feeding mechanism for stapling-machines.



E. WEBER. WIRE FBEDING MEGHANISM PQR STAPLING MACHINES. APPLICATIONFILBD`-$ULY 7, 1908.

Palisfntd May 17, 1910. l

'JSHEETB-SHEET 1.

mmulllullil H. WEBER. WIRE PEEDING MEGHANISM FOR STAPLING IILACHNES.

vAPPIJLOMum mmm 511117,' 190s.

@5392@1@ Pammu May i?, wm.

2 BREVES-SHEET 2.

' Mgg@ aan sraras narrativa ernten.

HENRY WEBER, F CHICAGQ, ILLINOIS, SSIGN'OR 'I0 LAIHAILI MACHINERY'UMPANY,

01E' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORAIIQN OF ILLINIS.

WIRE-FEEDING 'MECHANISM FOR, STAPIJINC'l-MICHINES.

l Specification ci Lettera 'Eatent appueauonmed any?, isos. serial' no.aaaa'ea lPatented May 11'?, 1914]).

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY WEBER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State f..

Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements inWire-Feeding Mechanism for Stapling-Machines, of .Which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wire feeding mechanism forstapling machines, and more particularly to that type of machines inwhich the wire is intermittently fed into the machine, Aand cut off intosuitable lengths, formed into staples, and

driven through the material which it is de-V sired to stitch, andclenched on the other proved device of this character which will esimple and durable in construction and eective and efficient inoperation.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful .objects as will appear, the invention consists in the featuresof novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of theseveral parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and. shown inthe accompanying drawings illustrating the embodiment of the invention,and in which- Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of a I portion of astapling' mechanism with parts removed, and showing an improved feedingmechanism applied thereto, constructed in accordance with the principlesof this invention. Fig. 2 is a detall perspective view of the support onthe feed lever over which the wire .passes.- Fig. 3 is an enlargeddetailsectional view on line 33 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4: is a detail elevation withparts removed of a portion of the feed lever showing the supports forthe gripping members. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on line 5--5 ofFig. 1. Fig. 6 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 1 of a modified formof the This pivot 22 may invention. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailsectional view' on line 7-7 of Fig. 6, with parts of the mechanismremoved. enlarged detail perspective view of the ad- ]ustable stop forlimiting the movement of the feed lever in one direction. l

Referring more particularly to the drawings and in the exempliication ofthev invention shown in Fig.,1 of the drawings, the numeral 10designates a portion of a suitable support for the mechanism, 1ldesignates generally a suitable forming and driving mechanism, and 12 anoperating Fig. 8 1s an cam for a staple forming mechanism which isrotatably mounted upon the support 10 and -is adapted to be rotated fromany suitable source. Allof the above parts may be of any ordinaryconstruction and form no part of the present invention.

A feed lever 18 is provided with a tubular portion 14C intermediate itsends as show n more clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawings. rllhi's lleveris, pivotally mounted uponv the support/10 by means of a suitable axle15 p assing through the tubular portion ,1t and into the support.Surrounding the axle 15 1s a suitable coiled spring 16, one end of whichis secured to the axle 15 Iand the other end is secured to a portion ofthe lever 13. rlhe lower end-of the lever is preferably enlarged,

as at 17, and secured to the enlargement 17 is a support 18 over whichthe wire is adapted to pass. The enlargement 17 of the lever 13 isprovided with a plurality of recesses 19 openin Athrough one face of theenlargement, pre 'erably the front face. Any num.- ber of these recessesmay be provided, according to the number of gripping members desired tobe used, and in the present exemplification of the invention theenlargement is provided with two recesses to accommodate two gri pingmembers. v

Eccentrical y mounted within each of the recesses 19 is a disk 20 whichis of a diameter somewhat less than the diameter of the recesses 19.These disks are provided with apertures 21 passing therethrough in a d1-rection transversely of the pivot' 22 thereof..

be formed in any suitable manner, but 1s preferably in the form of ascrew or bolt passing transversely through the disk 20 and into thelever 13 by means of which the disk may be removablyand pivotally heldin position. The disks 20 are of va thickness substantially eyond theperipher of` which rests upon a suitable shoulder 25.

formed in the aperture 21, and the shoulder 26 formed on the plungery23. ripping member 27 havin a milled peri ery 28 is secured to the isk20 in any esired or suitable manner, preferably by means of a fasteningbolt 28,'and upon which bolt the gripping member 27 is ada ted to berotated. rlhe pivot b olt 28 o the gr pcping member 27 is `preferablylocated beyon the diametric center of the recess 19 and the member 27 isof a diameter such that a portion of the peri hery thereof will normallystand adjacent t e sup ort 18, and this support 18 is provided withupwardly projecting lips 29 which' are adapted to lstand adjacent theouter face of the gripping member 27, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 ofthe drawing. With this improved construction and manner of mounting thegri ping member, it will be ap arent that the atter may be rotated aboutits axis 28 and may be also bodily adjusted to move the supporting disk20 about its pivot 22 and thereby permit the gripping member to yieldwhen the feed lever 13 is moved in one direction to obtain a fresh ip uon the wire 30. The sup ort 18 is o? a wi th substantially equal to t ewidth of the periphery of the gripping member 27, so asto insure apositive gripping of the wire as the latter passes over the support. Thetwo gripping members 27 which are mounted upon the enlargement 17 of thefeed lever 13 are arranged to operate in unison, that is, to operate togrip the wire when the feed lever 13 is moved toward the formingmechanism 11 to advance the wire, or from the position shown in Fig. lof thedrawings, and to yield to permit the' gripping members to slideover the wire when the ever is moved back into the position shown inFig. 1. A similar gripping member 31 is rotatably supported by means ofthe pivot bolt 32 on the support 10, and a coperating wire support 33 isarranged adjacent the gripping member 31. This gripping member 31,together with its supporting disk 20, is similar in construction to thegripping members 27 and their sup ortin disks, with the exception that te gripping member 31 is fixed with relation to the gripping members 27and is arranged to operate in the opposite direction from the grippingmembers 27 that is, when the wire 30 passes over the" support33 andbelow the gripping member 31 during the forward movement of the feedlever 132 the gripping member 31 will yield to permit the wire to be fedto the machine,

etaaoi whereas the grip ing members 27 will be clamped against t e wireto cause it to advance. When thefeed lever 13sisimoved in the oppositedirection to obtain anew gri u on t e wire,'the gripping member 31 wi camp the wire u on the support 33 to prevent a retrogra e movement ofthel wire while the gripping members 27 will yield to permit the feedlever 13 to move the\ gripping lmembers backwardly upon the wire toobtain a new grip. rllhis operation will be continued as long as thefeed lever 13 i's reciprocated about its ivot bolt 15.

Any suitable means may e provided for reciprocating the lever 13, such,for instance, as an anti-friction roller 34 which is journaled to thefree end of the lever andwhich has engagement with a cam surface 35 onthe cam 12. rJlhe yielding member 16 will tend to hold the anti-frictionroller 34 in engagement with the cam surface 35, and as the latter isrotated, the lever will be moved against the tension of the yieldingmelignber 16g.) advnce thedwire.

y rovi in t e space grippin members 2 upon the feed lever, it willgbe aparent that a substantial urchase will obtained on the wire to a vancethe same through the guide tube 36 of thev forming mechanism, and thesespaced grippin members 27 will also serve to strai hten t e wire and toremove the bend which is created therein by means of the ,wire beingwound upon a supply spool. 'If desired, the support 10 may be rovidedwith a protecting shield 37 in the orm of a, laterally projecting angewhich extends below the enlarged end 17 of the feed lever 13. In theexemplication shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the support 18 is shown as beingstruck on an arc described from the pivot of the lever 13, and theshield 27 may be also arranged on an arc of a larger radius, struck fromthe same center to permit the free oscillation of the enlarged end 17 ofthe lever.

In the exemplification of the invention shownin Fig. 6 of the drawings,the support 18 is straight, and arranged adjacent the fixed grippingmember 31a is' a wire straightener 38 which preferably comprises a bo yportion having an odset portion 39 and a deiiec'ted extremity 4 1provided with a bearing 42` through which the wire 30 is adapted to passas it is advanced by: the feed lever. The, member 38 is adapted to rest4against the edge of a support 10 adjacent the gripping member 31, sothat the deflected extremity 41 will be spaced from the support 33a, andthe free extremity of the member is provided with a, slot 43 throughwhich afastening device 44 is adapted to pass and which engages the surespect to thesupporting surface of the supyto remove the kinks or bends`wheel 50 is eraser ort 38* to form an Aadditional bearing surace overwhich .the wire is adapted to pass in the wire. With this exem lifcationof the invention, it will be seen t at when the feed lever 13 is in ltheposition shown in Fi 6 of the drawings, the u per, surface of t esupports 33 and 18 wi form a straight line to receive the end of thewire and when the lever 13 is advanced the gripping members 27 willclamp the Wire upon t will advance the same to the staplin mechanism 11,so that the extremity of t e wire will be directed in av proper positioninto the stapling mechanism. v

In the exempliiication of the invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, thereis provided suitable means for regulatin the movement of the feed lever13in one irection, which means preferabl comprise a member 45 adjustablymounte upon the su ort 10, which latter is provided with a suitab e slotthrough which .a portion 46 of the member projects, and the lever of thesupport 10. An adjusting screw or bolt 47 is connected by one extremityto the portion 46 of the member 45, and the free extremity thereofrojects through ai suitable bearing 48 on the rear of the support 10,and is provided with screw threads 49. An operating handle or providedwith a shank 51 having internal screw threads (not shown) and into whichthe threaded extremity of the bolt 47 is adapted to project so that thethreads will have engagement with the threads in the tubular shank 51 ofthe operating wheel 50 whereby the rotation of the wheel 50 will causethe member 45 to be adjusted with respect to the forming mechanism 11,and this handle 50 may be held in a xed position in any desired orsuitable manner not necessa to illustrate. rlihe member 45 on the faceof the support adjacent the feed lever 13 is provided with a projectionor lug 52 which stands within the path of movement in one direction of alug or extension 53 on the feed lever 13, so that when the anti-frictionroller 34 on the free end'of the feed lever 13 is forced against the camface 35 of the cam 12 by means of the the lug 53 on the lever willengage the projection or lug 52 on the niemberv45. lt will therefore beapparent that when the wheel 50 is rotated to adjust the member 45, thelug or projection 52 will also be adjusted with respect to the stapleforming mechanism, thereby varying the position of the lug so that thelatter will be engaged at dierent times by the lug 53 on the lever 13according to the position of the lug.

i With this improved construction of feeding mechanism it will beapparent that all ofthe operating or controlling parts lof thegripping'inembers will be incased and fully protected, the grippingmembers serving as e straight surface and .the

elastic member 16,

closures for the recessesin which the con-` parts for the gri pingmembers cannot be adjusted or interfered with Without removing thegripping members, and even though an' inexperienced operator may adjustthe bolt or supporting pivot 28, 32 of the respective grippin members,it will be apparent that such a justment will not dislocate or damagethe controlling parts.

When the gripping members are moved to ermit the wire 30 to pass, thesupporting isk 20 will be moved about its pivot 22 so that the freeextremity of the lunger 23 will be forced against the wall ci) therecess in which the respective disk is located, and a further movementof the gripping member in the same direction will tend to force theplunger within the disk and against the tension of the elastic member24, so that when the ipping member has been adjusted and ed lever startsto move in the opposite direction, the elastic member 24 will expand toforce the disk 20 about its point of pivotal support Ain the o positedirection to .cause the periphery of t e gripping member to forciblyengage the wire and clamp the same upon the support y which coperateswith the gripping member.

Anyv desired number of gripping members 27 may be mounted upon theenlarged portion 17 of the feed lever 13, but in the presentexemplitication of the invention,- two only of such members are shown,which are arranged in tandem and in the same plane.

1n order that the invention might be fully understood the details of theforegoin embodiment thereof have been thus specifically described, but

What l claim as new is:

1. lin combination in a wire stitching machine, a support over which thewire is adapted to be drawn, a gripper member cooperating with thesupport for holding the wire against retrograde movement and to permitthe wire'to freely pass in one direction, means for drawing the wireover the support, said means including an extended support for the wire,and spaced gripper members arranged in tandem and coperating with thesupport for holding the wire, said gripper members being adapted tosimultaneously grip the wire when the said drawing means is moved in onedirection, and to simultaneously release moved in the oppositedirection, means for imparting motion to the last said means, andadjustable means for limiting the movement of the said drawing means inone direction.

2. In combination in a wire stitching machine, a wire gripper comprisinga member, a wire sup ort on the member and over which the wire isadapted to pass, a supportthe wire when lOO eccentrically mounted on themember, a

gripping member mounted upon l the said eccentric support and adapted tocoperate with the wire support, and elastic means for shifting the saideccentric to cause the grippin memberv to grip the `wire when the rstsai member is moved in one direction, andto yield when the member ismoved in the opposite direction.

3. In combination in a wire stitching machine, a wire gripper comprisinga member,

'a Wire sup ort on thev member and over erating With the said support,said disk portedl by the disk an bein adapted to be shifted by thegripping mem er to cause the member to grip the wire when the first saidmember is moved in one directionand to yield when the meinber is movedinthe opposite direction, and elastic means supporte by and projectingbeyond the periphery of the disk for controlling the movement of thedisk in one direction.

4. In combination in a Wire stitching machine, a Wire gripper comprisinga member, a wire sup ort on the member and over which the wire isadapted to pass, said mem ber being provided with a recess openingthrough the face thereof, a disk eccentrically mounted within therecess, a gripping member supported by the said disk and coperating withthe said support, said disk bein adapted to be shifted by the` grippingmem er to causev the member to grip the wire when the first said memberis moved in one direction and to yield when the mem` ber is moved in theop osite direction, and elastic means supported) beyond the peripheryofthe disk for controlling the movement of the disk in one direction,said gripping member being of a diameter greater than the diameter ofthe said recess to form a' closure therefor for inclosinIg the saiddisk.

a Wire Astitching machine, a wire lgripper comprising a mainsupportingmember, a wire support on the member and over which the Wire is adaptedto pass, said member being provided with an open recess, a diskeccentricallymounted within the recess and being of a smaller diameterthan the diameter of the recess, a gripping member supported by the diskand coperating with the wire support, and ielding means supprojecti'ngbeyond the periphery thereof, said gripping member being adapted toAgrip the wire when the main supporting member is moved in oneldirection and to release the wire and shift the disk to cause the saidyielding means to be forced into engagement with the wall of by andprojecting etaaoi the recess to create a tension u on the said yieldinmeans to move the dis in the opposite irection. t

6. lin combination 1n a wire' stitching machine, a wire grippercomprising a main supporting member, :a wire support on the member andover Whichthe Wire is ada ted to pass', said member being provided Witan open recess, a disk eccentrically mounted Within the recess and beingof a smaller diameter than the diameter of the recess, a gripping membersupported by the disk and coperating with the wire support, a membermounted u on the disk for movement' transversely Wit respect to thepivot, thereof, and elastic means disposed between said member and thedisk for normally holding the member projected beyond the peri hery ofthe disk, said gripping member eing adapted to grip the wire when themain support is moved inone direction and to release the wire and shiftthe disk to force the said member upon the disk against the Wall of therecess and against the tension of the said port, a Wire support thereon,said main sup-r port being provided with an open recess, a disk having asmaller diameter than the diameter of the recess, means for removablyand eccentrically mounting the disk Within the recess, yielding meanssupported by the disk and projecting beyond the periphery thereof, saidyielding means being normally held out of engagement with the Wall ofthe recess, and a gripping member mounted upon the disk and coiperatingwith the Wire suplport whereby the said gripping member wi grip the wirewhen moved in one direction and will yield when moved in the oppositedirection, the extremity of the said yielding means being adapted tobeforced against port being provided with an open recess,.a

disk havin a smaller .diameter than the diameter o the recess, means forremovably and eccentrically mounting the disk within the recess,yielding means supported by the disk and projecting beyond the peripherythereof, said yielditr'igmeans being normally held out of engagementwith the Wall of the recess, and a gripping member mounted' upon thedisk and coperating with the wire sup ort whereby the said grippingmember Wil gri the wire when moved in one direction an will yield whenmoved in the opposite direction, the extremity of the said yieldingmeans bein adapted to be forced against the Wall of t e recess whereby atension will be created upon said yielding eeaeoi in one direction, saidgripping member formin aclosure forthe recessito conceal the sai diskand being adjustable with respect to said disk.

9. In combination in a wire stitching machine, a support over which thewire is adapted to be drawn, a grip er member cooperating with thesupport or holding the Wire against retrograde movement and to permitthe wire to freely ass in one direction, means on one side o the supportfor `drawing the wire over the support, said means including a supportfor the wire, a

plurality of gripping members spaced longitudinally from each other andcoperating with the support to grip the wire when the said drawing meansis moved in one direction and to yield to release the wire when moved inthe opposite direction, means for imparting movement to the last saidmeans, an means on the other side of the first said support for deectingthe wire at a point adjacent and with respect to the support.

10. In combination in a wire stitching machine, a support over which thewire is adapted to be drawn, a grip er member cooperating With thesupport or holding the wire against retrograde movement and to permitthe wire to freely ass in one direction, means on oneside o the supportfor drawin the wire over the support, said means including a support forthe wire, a plurality of gripping members spaced longitudinally fromeach other and coperating with the support to grip the wire when thesaid drawing means is moved in one direction and to yield to release thewire when moved in the opposite direction, means for imparting movement.to the last said means, a member on the other side of the supportprovided with an aperture through which the wire passes, means foradjustably and pivotally supporting lthe member adjacent the support,and means for securing the member in its adjusted position to deiect thewire at a point adjacent and with respect to the support.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificatiomin thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 27th day of June A. l).1908.

. HENRY WEBER.

Witnesses:

J. II. JOGHUM, Jr., C. H. SEEM.

